Empty Spaces
by AddictedToChax
Summary: Brax has to deal with one day at a time, each day seems to get harder not easier for him, he has the support of his brothers, he has a family, yet there is a gaping hole in his life. There is an empty space in his life which he doesn't want to fill yet bit by bit it is destroying him. Can he find his way out and will he find love along the way?


**Chapter one**

The sun had just risen, the early birds chirping away, the midnight stragglers leaving the beach as the eager surfers and runners made their way down. Eyes filled with sleep, but not for long as the crisp air riveted through their bodies, shocking them into full alertness. The waves ferociously wrapping themselves with each other creating folds, only a number of surfer's cold tackle the harshness.

Walking along the beach, kicking sand with his bare feet he felt the cold sand beneath him, grainy but with the coldness seeping through him, winter had just ended and spring was just beginning. He watched the beach goers as he tried to find the remotest spot out in the water but with waves challenging enough for him. Finding the perfect spot he walked towards the water with his surf board in tow and set out to have his morning of reflection, his me time, his time to be able to think, to be himself, to be able to forget the worries of the world, actually scrap that, his own worries. Today was a big day, another milestone, another moment. They were days of firsts, there was many of them but with each one gave him the biggest smile yet his heart broke a little more each day, one of these days he knew soon it would completely shatter and there would be nothing left.

Time passed, times passes and there was no doubt that time would always move, like now, the sun had fully settled amongst the sky, the waves had calmed down, the surfers and the runners were no longer seen apart from a few yet he still sat on his board looking for the push to get up and start his day. He didn't know how he did it but somehow he found the push from somewhere, he endured each moment that was taking place, he felt lost in his paths, like nothing belonged to him no more. Forgetting was so hard, would it ever become easier? Or was this it, was this how everyday would be like, at night he would befriend the night, the loneliness, the darkness, let the tears fall whilst sleep sat in the corners of his eyes and during the day he would smile and let go of all the sadness from his heart, in the last 6 years he had realised the sadness never really leaves, it just lingers in the shadows and as soon he was alone it would take over again, his life was like a vicious circle, he knew no escape.

-x-

Like every morning after his time in the water, almost on auto pilot he would stab his board into the sand, pick up his towel, dry himself off a little, pick up his phone and like every morning he would send a message hoping that one day he will get a reply, he was yet to receive one. Today he did the same, it was simple, words were not his strongest points, he was always more of a _I will show you_ kind of guy. A simple _I am always here_ was typed in and without hesitation he sent the message. Sometimes he was able to break away from his normal routine, times like today, times when something new was happening. Typing _would love for you to be here today _and sending it to another recipient before making his way home.

''you're late'' he was greeted as soon as he got home, he could apologise but there was no point, there would be no sincerity to it,

''today is a big day, the one day you could have come home quicker, Brax you promised'' he just listened as he put his surf stuff away, he listened to everything, he just never took action on it.

''where is she?'' he only spoke when necessary,

''upstairs, you have lots of making up to do''

''I know, I know'' He told his brother who watched him with pity, not a day would go by without one of his brothers being on his case, he thought with time it would have subsided, but no, they was adamant, today it was Kyle's turn, they would never understand what he was going through, it had been a long time yes but time was a funny thing.

Discreetly opening the door he could hear slight chatter, his youngest brother Casey could be heard talking yet he couldn't make out what he was saying, walking in, he knew she had sense that he had come in, she had gone quiet,

''pink or purple?'' Heath spoke as he came in to the room too; she shrugged her shoulders still not saying anything.

''purple'' Brax spoke as he took the item from Heaths hands, Casey and Heath catching on and both of them left the room to let father and daughter have a talk.

''I am sooooo sorrrrry'' Brax knelt down next to his daughter facing her, she just turned the other way around, there was one thing about her, she was as stubborn as hell, the resemblance was uncanny, she continued to ignore him until she could hear blubbering, Brax's lame attempt at crying, it always worked, without fail, she instantly turned around,

''daddy stop being silly'' she exclaimed,

''I am sorry'' Brax said as he got up lifting his daughter up and sitting down on the end of the bed as he tied in the purple ribbon to the bottom of her plaits, freshly done by none other than Heath, surprisingly he was really good at them and had hair duties on most mornings.

''but you always say sorry, daddy today is a big massive day, it's the junior contest, we all have to talk in assembly and then Mrs Stevens will choose the best one''

''I know baby, I will help you now''

''it's okay, Kyle and Casey helped me, I know lots of big words, and Uncle Heath said I will win this year and if I don't he will smash Josh coz he wins everything''

''there will be no _smashing_'' Brax emphasised the word, only Heath would say something like that to a 6 year old.

''yeah yeah dad, can we go now, I don't want to be late, time is importanc'' he couldn't help but smile at her mispronunciation but her words true, time was very important.

-x-

Mums, dads, siblings scattered the corridors outside waiting to gain entry into the auditorium, meaningless chit chat, mothers comparing notes, fathers bragging about their kids. Brax and his brothers, four men dressed as smartly as they could without throwing on a 3 piece stood awkwardly together, Brax could feel his hands feel clammy, he was nervous; there was uneasiness around him. He wasn't the only one who felt it, Heath, Casey and Kyle could all feel it yet they tried to diminish it as to nerves for their niece,

Finally the doors opened and parents found themselves allocated to seats, the four brothers sat down, Brax getting the end seat. He watched his daughter up on stage; she waved at them with the biggest smile on her face, happy that they all had made it.

''Welcome all to summer bay junior schools junior completion, like every year we shall have a bowl of topics and each child is to pick one and provide an explanation in 1 minute, the best one is awarded the trophy and tickets to their favourite amusement park. Like every year the completion is tough, and we would like to thank all the children participating, can I also take this opportunity to remind family there is no need to jeer and boo when another child is in stage as we have had in previous years'' at this point Heath slid down his chair hiding his face.

''let's begin'' the head teacher spoke as she went and stood behind the podium waiting for the first child to make their way up.

First up was Alex Thompson, his word, ice-cream, he spent his first thirty seconds trying to figure out the word and then the last thirty seconds he sang

_I scream, you scream, _before he could finish the buzzer went indicating his time was up.

Around ten children had had their go before Brax's daughter was called to the stage. Getting up of her chair, she walked to the middle of the stage, waved at her father and uncles again, Heath who obviously disregarded what the head mistress said at the beginning whistled resulting in him getting the evils.

Brax was really nervous, his baby girl under the glare of everyone, he didn't need to worry, there was one thing and that was she wasn't shy, far from it, very cheeky and confident was his bubba.

Crossing her fingers together and giving them a quick kiss she picked her word, not looking at it she walked to where the microphone was set up, Brax winked at his daughter as four men put their thumbs up for her to start.

It was the luck of the draw, but it was cruel, it wasn't fair, the word which this girl got was unfair.

The atmosphere had changed, the feeling of uneasiness had increased at the pit of Brax's stomach, he looked at his daughter, she had unravelled the piece of paper, he could see her eyes glassing over, she stood there in a trance, he didn't know why, he tried to catch her attention but her eyes were fixated, a million things went through his head, did she not know the word could she not read it, was it stage fright. What felt like ages she looked up at her father and then back at the piece of paper, the words which then escaped the little girls mouth knocked the wind out of Brax's stomach, he suddenly wanted to feel sick.

''Mother...'' there was already a silence but now it was eerie, a tension in the room, the little girl repeated the word, just audible,

''Mother'' her voice broke and she just stood there watching the little piece of white paper.

Brax couldn't help it, his eyes glassed over, his little girl, his whole life up on that stage, broken, a shadow of what she was before she picked that paper up, he didn't know what to do, he watched as she wiped the tears from her eyes, she caught his line of vision and mouthed _I am sorry _before she turned around to go sit back down, before she could turn fully someone spoke from the back of the hall,

''Mother'' all eyes panned to turn and look at the person who spoke, getting up of the seat they sat on and walked towards the stage, standing next to the little girl, kneeling down Ruby wiped her sisters eyes,

''A mother she is someone who loves us so much that sometimes we don't understand it, a mother is someone who makes us realise how good we are and that there is no one better than us, her happiness is in our laughter and her sorrow in our sorrow'' Ruby's voice was wavering, and her little sister tightened the grip on their interlinked hands,

''A mother is someone we can't live without, she is everything, the only thing is we don't have one, but'' wiping her eyes she looked over at Brax who had stopped wiping his eyes at this point and just let the tears free fall,

''but we, we do have a dad, and he is quite nice too'' Ruby let out a little chuckle,

''now let's go give him a hug'' she told her sister as they made their way down the stage and towards where Brax had now got up and was walking towards his girls.

The three of them embracing, the hall erupting in applause and the mother of his daughters stood at the back looking as ethereal as possible, her chocolate hair flowing and her eyes glowing just like they always did.

Her life might have been cut short but she knew a part of her would always live through her husband, Daryl Braxton, her daughters Ruby Braxton and Skylar Charlotte Braxton, her family…

-x-

**I love reading fanfics and most people want happy Chax, I like *want* happy Chax, I have written about them before but I wanted to do something different, it's a risk but I hope people give this a chance, I would love for people to have a read and review if possible, all criticism is constructive right. :P**


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